Motor vehicle



2 AQ E. GRATER MOTOR vEHICLE `Filed Aug. 23, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

inveniion is to provide a transmission simom're :transmission intermediate the various sets of change speed gearing `is a beveled gear keyed rear axle. ,The output gear is'so arranged that Patentedi'Nov. l11, 1941 UNi'rl-:Dy STATE s PATENT OFFICE assenso 1 Moron VEHICLE v Aurea a. Grosor, Nues, moli., manor to clark Equipment Company, Buchanan, Mich., a corporation of Michigan lApplication August 23, 1940, Serial No. 353,815

Y 13 claims. This invention relates-to motor vehicles of the type employing a rear engine drive-in which the rear engine is mounted transversely of the vehicle rearwardly of the rear aide. It has particular application to busses and commercial vehicles i. where it is desirable to mount the engineat the rear in 'order to obtain more passenger space and provide a more balanced structure.

One of the primary objects of the present in connection with arear engine mounting which will allow the propeller shaft leading from the description, which, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will disclose to those skilled in the art, the particular `operation and construction ofa preferred form of the present invention.

In the drawings;

Figure l'is a diagrammatic plan view of a vehicle embodying the present invention; and

transmission to the rear axle ,to be mounted as close to center as possible in order to eliminate' as much as possible offsetting 4of the differential frame lin the rear axle housing. f i

In some rear engine drives with which I am familiar, the drive is taken from angle gearing at the extreme end of the transmission vand extends from a diagonally extending propeller shaft `to a. centrally located differential housing of the s -rear axle. Another arrangement for certain thevtransmission there is mounted a quill shaft which is rotatably supported on the main shaft, and' which carries the regular transmission gearing. 'A clutch shaft is arranged to be mounted about the engine end 0i the through shaft,"and has a main driving gear within the transmission 'which drives the countershaft of the transmission in the usual manner. Mounted upon the.

to the quill shaft and adapted to drive a second beveled gear extending normally out of the transmission toward the' dilerential housing of the its diameter is greater than the amount of space` required for the clutch shaft, drive gear, the

` 'third speed gear\ of the transmission and the shifter clutch therebetween, whereby all of'these `parts-can be disposed within this longitudinal extent of the output gear, and consequently recuire no extension of the transmission housing to accommodate this structure'. I .i

Various other featuresof -the invention will f Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view through a transmission such as shown in Figure l.

Referring to Figure l, the chassis of the vehicle comprises the side rails 5 which are spaced apart by suitable cross members and reinforced by the X member B. At the forward end of the chassis there fis provided the usual transverse axle 'I carrying the dirigibly mounted steering wheels 8. Adjacent the Yrear end of therchassis but spaced forwardly thereof is a transverse axle-housing 9 having a central diiferential housing portion Ill,-

and provided at opposite ends with thel dual wheels I2 which are driven fromthe diiferential within the housing III. Mounted between the side rails 5 rearwardly of the -housing 9 is-a transversely extending power plant or engine I3 having. secured thereto a bell. ousing Il enclosing the mom omion to which is rigidly boned chel transmission housing I5. The transmission housing I5 Ais provided on one lateral surface thereof with a cap member I6 enclosing a suitable kgearing which is connected through the universal 'joint I1 to a propeller shaft ISleading to the differential in the rear'axle'. v

vThe end of the transmission, remote from the engine I3, is provided with .a'suitable bearing cap Il through which extends the main shaft 20 connected directly, to the engine and on which is mounted. fon z2 adapted to draw air through u the radiator 23. Suitable cross members A2l extend between the side rails 5V of 4the chassis to support the power plant in position, the engine v .being supported at'its front end on one of the side rails! and adjacent its rear end on the cross bracing member g5. The radiator/23 is supported adjacent the. oppositefside `rail '5' on" the cross members 24. 1

onsldering now in detail ing Il of' the transmission hasits forward end iportion secured to the bellv housing I4 which is piloted into the ywheel Vhousing .of -the engine by means of the pilotdange. It will be noted be more vapparent from the fellowingdeta'iled 55 illthe clutch shaft 2T which is splined as Indithe transmission` structure which is shown in Figure 2, the housf' quill shaft 32 adjacent the rear end thereof is the first speed gear 3B which is adapted, in one position, to ciutch the gear 31 to the quih shaft 32 and in another positicnto sheet low speed driving engagement'from the colmtershaft 39 to the quill shaft. The coimtershaft 3S is rotatahLv supported at its forward end in the roller bearings la and atitsrearendinthethrustbearings I2. Suitable reverse gearing, dia cally indicated at I3 is provided; as in conventional transmissions. i

It will be apparent that the main drive gear 2! drives the colmtershaft gear Il and, through the countershaft, in turn drives any one of the gears 38, 31 or 3i. A suitable sliding clutch member l is mounted upon the quill shaft 32 adjacent the main drive gear for selectively clutching either the main drive gear or the third speed gear 3i tothe quill shaft, in the former case `effecting direct drive between the clutch shaft and the quill shaft.

Itwillbenotedthat thetransmission lisprovided with an intermediate bearing support sacarse www center line'ofthe'itisto benudthatwith simio! planisandchassissizesitmaymamemashe toemployan-offset rv xearaxlehonsingwhichisstiiiwithinthepurviewof that invention."

Itisthereforehelievedapparmtthaithaive is w-wvv a 1101781 me 0i 3101.1 mmhtionforareareuginedrivevelnclaandldo nottntendtobeliinitedtothespecicdeiaiil shown and described, except as bythescopeandspiritoitheawendingclaims.

i. in arearengine drive vehicles n i I disposedenginehavingamilhousingatoneend thereof, a on housing seemed 'to said bellhonsing,ahollow driven elm/oh shaftinsaid bellhousinghavingadrive gear portion disposed 4in the forward end of said transmission honeing, a hoiiow transmission main shaft journahed at one end in said drive gear poien and at the other end in the remote end of said housing, a solid drive shaft extending longitudinally through "both said hollow shafts, a coimtershait in said transmission housing, a piuraiity of gear trains between said main shaft and said countershaft, a bevel gear 4keyed to said main shaft, and a normally extending projecting through the side of said tmnsmission and driven from said bevel gear.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said drive shaft Ais journalled within ends of said main shaft and projects outwardly of said remote end of said transmission housing.

3. The combination of claim 1 further characterized in the provision of a fan on said drive shaft beyond the end of said housing.

4. In a. rear engine drive vehicle, a rear axle having a rearwardly facing dinerential drive shaft, an engine disposed transversely of the vein which is mounted the roller I1 for rotatably supporting the quill shaft 32 between the second and third speed gears. Keyed to the quill shaft 32 adjacent the bearing l1 is a he.'- eled gear Il having the key I9. This gearv is spaced from the third speedgear 3i by means of the spacing sleeve 5l, thereby being held axially againsttheinnerraceofthebearing Il to locate the gear Il against axial movement. '.lhe bevel gear," drives an angularly gear 52, which has formed therewith the drive shaft 53 suitably iournalled by bearings 54 and 55 inthebearingcap lsecuredtothesldewallof the transmission I5. The outer end of the shaft 53 is adapted to receive the companion ange of the universal joint l1.

Itwillbenotedthatthegearisofadiameter such that it extends longitudinally within the transmission housing from a point adjacent the forward end wall of the housing to the-bevel gear 43, and the space occupied by this gear longitudinally within the housing is sumcient to accommodate the drive gear 2l, the third speed gear 36 and the clutch member l5 disposed therebetween. In .order to allow maximum size for the third speed gear 33 andstill retain the overall length of the tron, as well as its width, within desired limits, the end face of the gear 52 is recessed as indicated at 58 to accommodate the teeth of gear running within this recess during a portion of their revolution.

While I have illustrated the present invention as providing a drive to the differential on the hicle rearwardly of said axle, a including a tubular main shaft and a. countershaft with axially spaced change speed gearing providing drivingconnections therebetween, a. tubular clutch shaft driven from said engine and having a. driving gear' portion in said for driving said counter-shaft, a bevel gear on said main shaft intermediate said gearing, an output shaft directed toward said differential drive shaft and having a bevel gear portion in said transmission driven from said first bevel gear, and a solid drive shaft extending from said engine through said clutch and main shafts and rotatable at engine speed independently of said gear- 5. The construction of claim 4 further characterized in the provision ofa fan on saidlastnamed shaft externally of said 6. In a rear engine drive vehicle, a vehicle frame, a rear axle therebeneath, a power plant for said vehicle comprising a transversely arranged engine supported on one side of said frame rearwardly of said axle and extending toward the other side, a. radiator in transverse alinement with said engine and supported on the other side of said frame, a transmission seemed to said engine having a main shaft. a colmtershaft, change speedigearlng therebetween, a.V laterally directed output shaft connected to said axle, gearing between said main shaft and said output shaft, an engine driven shaft extending from said engine through said n and rotatable at engine speed independently of sold ,7" change speed gearing, and a fan on the remote l assaut end of said last-named shaft for drawing airy through said radiator. l

` 7. A transmission for a rear engine drive vehicle comprising a housing, a tubular clutch shaft' extending into one end of said housing and having an enlarged -drive gear portion, a tubular transmission main shaft journalled at one end in said drive gear portion and at the opposite end in the remote vend of said transmission, a

counter-shaft, axially spaced'v change speed gear sets 4between said countershaft and main shaft,

a bevel gear keyed on said main shaft substan tially in the longitudinal vcenter thereof, and a second bevel` gear driven thereby and of a diam'- eter such as to overlie said drive gear portion.'

4of said clutch shaft'and the main shaft gear of one of said gear sets, -said second bevel gear having a laterally directed output shaft.

8. A transmission for a rear engine drive ve-L hicle'comprising a' housing, a tubular clutch shaft extending intoone end, of said housing and having an enlarged ldrive gear portion, a tubular in said drive gear portion and at the opposite end in the remote end of said transmission, a counter-shaft, axially spaced change speed 'gear lsets between said countershaft and main shaft,

a bevel gear keyed on said main shaft substanbevel gear alongv the side of said transmission driven from said first bevel gear and having a .laterally directed outputV shaft.

` 10. In a vehicle, anengine arranged trans-` versely of the vehicle and having a clutch and clutch housing, a transmission housing bolted tc the rear face of said yclutch housing, a shaft connected directly-to said engine and extending through both said housings, a clutch driven shaft transmission'main shaft journalled at one end l tiallyin the ,longitudinal center thereof, output I shaft'means driven from said bevel gear,"and a solid'drive shaft extending axially through said clutch shaft and said main shaft and rotatable independently thereof.

9. A transmission for 4a rear engine drive vehicle comprising a housing, a tubular clutch lshaft extending into one endof said housing and hav-` ing an enlarged drive gear portion, a tubular transmission main shaft journalled at oneend in said drive` gear portion-and at the opposite end inthe remote end of said transmission. a countershaft, axially spaced change speed gear sets between said countershaft and main shaft, a

bevel, gearV keyed on said main shaft substantially in the longitudinal 4center thereof,` and a second end of said output shaft.

in said clutch housing having. a driving gear in the forward end of said transmission housing, a countershaft in -said transmission housing driven from said drive gear,` a main shaft in said transmission housing journalled at its'forward end in said drive gearand at its rear end in the rear end wall of said transmission, change speed gearing between said 'countershaft and lmain i shaft, a laterally directed output shaft extending into one side of s aid transmission housing, andq gearing between said main shaft and said output shaft.

11. The vehicle of `manif 1o further character-l ized in that said main shaft is tubularand said directly connected shaft-extends therethrough in said transmission housing, land vbearing means in s aid main shaft atopposite ends thereof Joure nailing said directly connected shaft therein.

12. In combination, in a transmission hous` shaft in said housing about joui-nailed' at one end in said said clutch driven shaft, a laterally directed outputl shaft journalled' in one side wall of said housing, and bevel` gear means between said main shaft and the inner 13. The combination of claim 12 wherein said main shaft has bearing means rotatably supporting said first shaft therein.

ALFRED E. 'GRA'JIER on the end within saidvhous- 1 .gearing in said housing for 

